Lion in Winter

He is. Civil Engineering and Construction Management.

Def not Boris.

spouse of scouse

I always knew that boy was going places! His next Christmas present might have to be a cone of silence, a la Maxwell Smart

spouse of scouse

Ministry of Defence, defo.

Lion in Winter

He'll have to quickly cover all his Lego models with a sheet before I come into the room, etc.

Lion in Winter

Or a contractor of some kind that supplies god knows who. Tech, etc.

He isn't really agent material

spouse of scouse

Nor was Maxwell, but he made a lot of money pretending to be one

Lion in Winter

Good point well made.

spouse of scouse

BristolUK

Good lord. I'm a big fan of Get Smart but that meant nothing at all. I've looked it up and I still don't remember it.

Heads it's April Dancer, tails Agent 99.

I used to have a thing for Lady Penelope too. Too many strings attached for that relationship though.

Scamp

Likely but also could be almost anything; we get people to sign them all the time. Could be regarding private business and working on sensitive projects, competition or public related - could be an animal testing facility (the security is insane) or a manufacturer of shaving foam who don't want their secret out or a data centre or something else exciting etc.

I knew a guy who signed an NDA to build a long sand pit at a football club because the player they were signing trained in sand. He was a super-star striker and it was part of the deal but they didn't want anyone to know it was happening.

Or, it could be MOD stuff, obvs, like you say. Which would still be interesting but often a bit weird.

Expatrick

MoD would be the Official Secrets Act, after positive vetting.

macliam

Positive vetting? - Things change!

When I joined PO Telecommunications in 1980, I had a very official-looking document pushed in front of me during "induction".

Due to the fact that it had the crest and said "Official Secrets", I was a little doubtful, being fresh in from across the sea.

Obviously no poker-face, because our "instructor" came up to me, grinned, and said "Jest bluddy sign it!", in the thickest North Dublin accent imaginable!!

Scamp

A mate failed security clearance for an application with MI5 / MI6 or whoever. He applied for a laugh and then found out there's a cousin thrice removed and extended sideways and 2nd level somewhere in Ireland who was on hunger strike once.

Interesting way to do some family tree work, but was a well kept family secret on this side of the water it seemed!

macliam

In 1978 I was managing a factory in Ireland, but my family were in England, so I flew over to stay with them.

I flew from Dublin to Lulsgate (Bristol Airport), which was then a very basic setup and was the only place I ever saw three separate checks for new arrivals.... there was immigration, then there was customs.... and then there were some other bods in suits who asked to see documents (good old "Special Branch").

When I got to them, they looked at my passport and said "Oh yes, Mr.xxxxx, we know all about you..."

It worried me then, it still worries me now!!.

Lion in Winter

If anyone ever starts looking into some of my more disreputable relatives there's going to be hell to pay